Personal vibrators, also known variously as vibrators, massagers, vibrating massagers and by numerous other names, are well-known in the art. They come in a variety of configurations and perform a variety of functions, ranging from medical therapy to erotic stimulation. They may be battery-powered or run on conventional alternating current electricity.
Typically, battery-powered vibrating massagers have a short lifespan. The most common means of generating the vibrating motion is to mount a weight on a rotational motor such that the center of gravity of the weight is off of the axis of rotation. When operated, the off-axis rotating weight imparts a desired vibration to a housing. While this produces the desired vibratory motion, this configuration is inherently damaging to the motor, and is often the cause of the failure of the product. It is also common that over the lifespan of a vibrating massager, the motor will become noisier as the strain of the off-axis weight degrades the functioning of the motor's bushings and internal components. Once the motor expires or becomes unacceptably noisy, the massager no longer serves its intended purpose and must be discarded and replaced.
It would be desirable to provide a vibrator wherein the electronic motor is easily replaced, thus preserving the value of the larger unit. It would be further desirable to provide a vibrator motor which is easily replaceable within a vibrating massager.